


the coldest part of lying

by innsjovide



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Interrogation, One Shot, argument, rated for language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-14 17:28:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28924332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/innsjovide/pseuds/innsjovide
Summary: After sending his companions on a mission doomed to fail, Unalaq reconciles with P’li.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	the coldest part of lying

**Author's Note:**

> back on the red lotus hype my dude!!!

Of anyone he had ever met in his life, somehow, P’Li managed to scare Unalaq the most. He rationalized it as pure logic- she was an extremely dangerous person. While she and Ghazan were about evenly matched on the basis of pure destructive power, the firebender had the upper hand on the pure basis of being a firebender- unlike a water- or earthbender, she didn’t require any nearby material, producing fire out of virtually nothing. And with a rare ability like P’Li’s, that made her a threat. There were only a few ways to truly be safe around a combustionbender, the most effective of which was freezing them. Unalaq felt grateful for nothing if not that his homeland and sister tribe were filled with ice.

By the time he had completed the several-day trip down to the South Pole, his brother and the friends of late Avatar Aang had taken care of the ‘little insurrection’. He hadn’t wanted to come down, to see the faces of his former comrades when they realized he had set them up for failure. But as the Chief of the Northern Water Tribe, he was expected to show face after tragic or unforeseen events, to reinforce the trust between himself and his people, especially when the tragic or unforeseen event had been the attempted kidnapping of his niece, who just so happened to be the next incarnation of the Avatar. 

Tonraq did not come to greet him as Unalaq disembarked from his private vessel, instead, the illustrious Chief of the Northern Water Tribe was met by a trio of hargaddly looking White Lotus sentries, evidently lower in the ranks based on their uniforms and the way they held themselves as he looked over them, cringing or looking away as he scrutinized every detail of their faces. It was almost a disgrace, how the sister tribe had greeted him. 

“I-I’m sorry,” One of the White Lotus sentries- he had mentioned the name of ‘Sheng’ earlier- “We’re stretched a little thin right now, we lost a lot of good men during the attack, I’m sure you understand.”

Unalaq nodded, preserving the mask of solemnity. He had heard of the many casualties during the battle, which surprisingly included none other than Chief Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe. As far as Unalaq knew, they hadn’t decided on his successor. Unalaq wondered who had been the one to kill him. 

“I’m just here to see the prisoner I’m responsible for,” Unalaq stated calmly, distancing himself from any emotion related to the event. As far as anyone knew, he had never met or even heard of any of the people, much less become affiliated with them. 

The sentry nodded and led Unalaq to where the prisoners were being held, in hastily-constructed metal boxes located deep in the southern tundra. After passing multiple guard posts, he was allowed into P’Li’s cell.

It was dreadfully cold inside, colder than the outside snowstorm. The metal walls and stone floors did nothing to insulate from the bitter cold, Unalaq felt uncomfortable in it and he had grown up in the conditions- a sinking feeling of pity for the firebender grew in his gut. He shook his head to rid himself of the feeling- he was here on business. 

P’Li had been chained to the wall with what Unalaq assumed was platinum, even though she wasn’t an earthbender. A metallic plate covered her forehead, preventing her from combustionbending and blowing the whole prison camp to oblivion. She seemed to be in terrible condition, having untreated wounds and signs of frostbite- the White Lotus sentries had provided her with only enough warmth to keep her alive, it seemed. In addition to the multiple guards posted outside, two guards stood inside the cell, watching P’Li at all times. Unalaq wondered what they were doing to keep Ming-Hua imprisoned, with so much water in near reach she would be a threat. 

The woman lifted her head slightly at Unalaq’s arrival but didn’t say anything. Her blank face indicated nothing, not even surprise that she had a visitor and that it was him, of all people. Unalaq was grateful he had been put in charge of her and not one of the chattier group members- Ghazan, Ming-Hua, or even Zaheer would’ve ratted him out in a matter of seconds. 

“Greetings.” Unalaq maintained his composure as he looked down on his former ally- for once, he was above her, but it was just because she was sitting. “I assume I’m not the first to come and see you, you’ve probably had countless interrogations so far.”

P’Li didn’t respond but looked up at him with the intensity only a firebender could muster. Unalaq swallowed the lump in his throat- there was no way she could hurt him in her current state.

“Do you know who I am, vagabond?” Unalaq spat, trying to sound as condescending as possible to get the firebender to react. 

P’Li blinked but otherwise kept silent eye contact. 

“I am Unalaq, Chief of the Northern Water Tribe. You will pay for the atrocities you have committed against my tribesmen and my family.” His words were all an act, so why not get theatrical with it? 

“I know who you are.” P’Li near-growled, her voice coarse from dehydration. 

Unalaq turned to the guards. “Leave us.”

The guards exchanged a glance with each other and left the cell, who were they to defy orders from the Chief, leaving Unalaq and P’Li alone. 

Unalaq hesitated, he hadn’t actually planned what to say when he was alone with P’Li, once they could be open with their identities. “If you tell them about me- about us.” The waterbender stated. “I will personally make sure your treatment is worsened.”

P’Li’s eyes grew wide. “You aren’t here to get us out of this shit?’ She asked, genuine disbelief in her voice. 

Unalaq nodded, an affirmation of P’li’s fears. 

“You bitch!” Her voice grew louder but shied away from becoming a shout. “You traitor!” Unalaq feared she would be heard by the guards outside. 

“It is in my best interest, as a world leader, to keep my image as clean as can be.” Unalaq showed P’Li his open palms to accentuate his words. “Fire Lord Zuko has personally requested I help in your… containment. It would be political suicide if I were to decline him.”

“Political suicide my ass.” P’Li barked- it was jarring enough to hear her talk, even more so that she was openly expressing such strong emotion. Unalaq had never known the woman to be anything but a stoic, ruthless beacon of destruction. “You’re leaving us to die- feeding our corpses to your rotten dogs. How could you condone this, how could you work with them?!”

Unalaq took a shaky breath, the cold not doing anything to help his health. He refused to tell P’Li what his intent really was, but she was smart enough to know he was lying. “I’m not willing to sacrifice my position.” Unalaq stated. The simple sentence did nothing to quell P’Li’s anger, it seemed to provoke her even more. 

Even though she hadn’t responded, Unalaq continued. “Fire Lord Zuko and I are overseeing the construction of an underground, fortified bunker you will be kept in, located deep in the northern tundra. With his guidance, we’ll be able to make sure you never firebend again- let alone escape.”

P’Li studied his face, searching for some indication that he was lying. “Why? Why are you keeping us alive?”

“Interrogation,” Unalaq explained simply. “The other world leaders want to know why your four tried to kidnap the avatar.”

“You know.” P’Li spat. “You tell them.”

Unalaq took a step backwards. “You know I can’t. It’s a sacrifice that must be made.”

In a futile attempt to intimidate him, P’Li stood up. It worked. Unalaq considered himself a fairly tall man, but the firebender towered over him like it was nothing. She leaned down so their faces were close by each other, giving Unalaq no choice but to stare into her intense, amber eyes. He trembled, realizing that if it weren’t for the thin metal plate over her tattoo, he could be reduced to a smoking crater in a matter of seconds. 

“There’s one thing you don’t get.” P’Li whispered, the intensity of her voice present even quieted. “There is no price worthy of sacrificing freedom for.”

Unalaq didn’t respond, the firebender’s words sinking as he stared into her eyes, unable to move. He gathered what confidence he had left and broke away from the woman’s gaze, turning his back to her with a theatrical swoosh of his cape. “I’ll be seeing you.” He said, facing the door. 

Unalaq was vaguely aware of the sound of moving chains as P’Li sat back down. He relished in his own position, glad that he was both leaving her presence and that he wasn’t her. There was a lot P’Li could do, but she always forgot that he held all the cards.


End file.
